Fringe: The Plague Doctor
by Venom2005
Summary: The Fringe team encounters a mysterious force that seems to be of pure evil, but things are never as they seem.
1. Chapter 1

**Fringe: The Plague Doctor**

**By: Venom2005**

**Chapter 1: A Normal Life…Almost**

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_A/N: I don't own the Fringe story so no copyright violations intended. The only character I own is the villain (more of an anti-hero really). This story will be told from the point of view of Peter Bishop._

"_Forgive Me," CLICK, BANG, "Olivia!" _ The sun blinded me for a few moments as I slowly opened my eyes. As my eyes adjusted I instinctively turned to the other side of the bed, and breathed a sigh of relief. The face of the woman I love, Olivia Dunham, was turned towards me and smiling. I gave a quiet chuckle and kissed her forehead before checking the time, 7 o'clock in the morning. I have been having the same nightmare for the last month and a half, never seeing anything but blackness. Truth is I didn't need to see to know what was happening, I remembered everything in perfect detail. I hear the sounds of my father, Walter Bishop loading a gun and shooting Olivia in the head. It was the only thing he could think of to save the two universes, which William Bell had been trying to destroy to create a new 'Garden of Eden' in which humanity wouldn't exist. I didn't believe that he would actually do something as drastic as that though, but I am also eternally grateful to him because without Walter's intervention, Olivia would still be dead. I blocked out the instrument that he used to push the bullet out, but her brain healed. The one thing I remember the most about that day was the three words that Olivia said later on that I knew would change my life forever, _"Peter I'm pregnant."_ Although she had hinted about the idea of having children before I never knew that she was actually pregnant. I must have smiled like an idiot but I didn't care, that was the happiest day of my life and I wanted it to last forever.

It had been four months since then and the life growing within Olivia was getting stronger every day. Despite that knowledge it was hard for me to believe that I was going to be a father. Funny thing about it is, by looking at her right now unless I remembered there is no way of knowing Olivia is pregnant. She had the body type that allowed her to hide the pregnancy very well, surprisingly enough. All that aside though, I hoped that Olivia would take time off from the Fringe division to relax and prevent injury to herself and the baby. But I know my Olivia; she has not missed a step regardless of pregnancy. I must have been lovingly staring at her for half an hour until I got out of bed, went down the stairs and stepped into the sun. It was a beautiful spring day with a clear sky and a cool breeze, how was I supposed to know that the next half hour would ruin it. A teenager riding a bicycle and delivering newspapers caught my attention. I gave a wave hello and he replied with, "Good morning Mr. Bishop." I walked back in the house and started flipping through my preferred newspaper, _The New York Times._ I was looking at nothing in particular until one article caught my eye, **The Doctor is in: Vigilante Killer strikes Again!** Now curious, I started to read the article word for word.

The victim's name was Mr. Arden Pryce, a name which I recognized. Mr. Pryce was known for having two sides to him, one good and one not so good. On the one hand he was a successful business man who gave to those in need without a second thought, truly something to admire. Yet on the other hand the mask of goodness would fall off and the other side of him would emerge. Beneath the skin, he was a voracious womanizer. He would start flirting with women within mere moments of meeting them, making provocative advances. According to police departments throughout the country, women who he flirted with would be found beaten to death within at least two days. Local police say that he was in the process of taking his latest victim before Mr. Pryce himself was killed. The female victim, a Ms. Veronica Williams, despite being badly beaten and near death was able to describe her 'savior'. He (or rather 'It') was tall, no less than 7 feet and incredibly thin. I know that some people can be naturally thin and be healthy but this individual was at the extreme end of the spectrum. The man wore a suit of all black; pants, shoes, shirt, vest, jacket; the whole nine yards. He was also wearing a pair of black leather gloves, with a wide brimmed hat perched on its head. The one feature that disturbed Ms. Williams was the mask he wore. It could be best described as the traditional mask of a Plague Doctor, made of white ceramic in the style that would allow you to see the wearer's eyes, but it didn't have a cover for the mouth like most would assume. In fact, Ms. Williams described it as not covering his mouth at all. As a result, despite the absence of light she could see the outline of lips on the figure behind Mr. Pryce.

The figure that was dubbed the 'Plague Doctor' by the news media, appeared at the entrance to the alley in which she was being attacked. He slowly walked towards perpetrator and victim, only stopping when Mr. Pryce noticed that something was behind him. He didn't seem afraid at first, but when the figure pointed at him fear started to grip his black heart. Then it finally spoke to Mr. Pryce, sounding like the voice of a young boy and an ashen man were speaking in unison. It only said one word to him, "Guilty," that was when Mr. Pryce started to run but didn't get far. The figure pinned him to the ground, with remarkable strength that allowed only one arm to be needed. The other hand reached into the pocket of the jacket and pulled out an ornately carved straight razor, with three words carved into the handle: Furght, Tod, Gerechtigkeit. After opening the razor, the creature carved open Mr. Pryce's chest with surgical precision, starting with a Y-incision in which the human heart was directly underneath. The simple blade of the unique handled razor carved through the flesh and bone with ease, not stopping until the heart is revealed. Then Ms. Williams watched with absolute horror as the creature pulled out Mr. Pryce's still beating heart, waited for a few moments and appeared to place the powerful muscle into a hidden mouth beneath the mask, thus swallowing it whole. When the monster that was Mr. Pryce finally stopped twitching, the fiend that cut out and ate his heart walked towards Ms. Williams, knelt before her very carefully and said one word more, "Innocent." After this final word, it placed a small marble into her hand, which seemed to have an eerie glow about it, and disappeared into the shadows. The police consulted with translators from university after university, until one professor of archeology recognized the words. They were German in nature and translated to the following words: Fear, Death, Justice.

The article continued to on to say that the previous victims for this 'Plague Doctor,' were men and women that could be described as the scum of the earth. Wildlife Poachers, mob bosses and enforcers, no one was safe from the monster. It ended with the warning that if you happen to see him, don't approach and call 9-1-1. A soft thump from the stairway made me turn around, and I saw Olivia standing on the last step, rubbing her eyes and smiling like an angel. I smiled warmly and walked over to her, "Good morning sleepy head. Hungry?" She didn't have time to answer, my phone which was laying on the kitchen counter started to ring. Checking the caller ID I noticed that it was Phillip Broyles, our boss in the FBI. I gave an annoyed groan, _Damn it, Broyles! You couldn't have picked a worse time._ Olivia wiped her eyes and extended her hand, a look of defeat on her face. I handed it to her reluctantly, will this ever end? I think she could read the expression on my face, "It never ends, Peter. Thought you'd be used to it by now," was what she said after flashing me a smile. The truth is I was used to it in a sense, I just wanted Agent Broyles to realize that Olivia is pregnant and put her on maternal leave. I didn't want anything to happen to Olivia or the baby, but I also knew her all too well and didn't force the issue. She swiped the screen on my phone and answered, "Dunham. What? Alright, we'll be right there. Come on, Peter. We have a case." I was going up the stairs to our bedroom and accidently dropped the newspaper, Olivia saw the title of the story and the picture that a sketch artist provided for the Plague Doctor. Her face turned ghostly paled "Olivia what's wrong?" She gave me a scared look, "Peter…this 'Plague Doctor' just claimed another victim. Agent Broyles has called us to investigate it." I could understand her fear, I didn't relish the idea of running into this creature. But honestly, I would do anything to protect Olivia and my unborn child. This included throwing myself into danger to ensure her survival.

_**Completed 3/5/2013 Hope you like it, Folks. First Person storytelling is a first for me, so let me know what you think. Review and comment, Please. **_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Meeting the Doctor**

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_A/N: Might get a little graphic._

It took only a few minutes before we were dressed and one our way, the crime scene would take almost 10 minutes to reach. Olivia had been nauseous the last few days and even though sitting down only made it worse, she had no other way to get to the crime scene. Because of that I was made the designated driver, and as we pulled into our final destination she let out a yelp of surprise. I put the car in park and turned over with a concerned look on my face, "What's wrong?" "I'm not sure, it's the first time I felt something like that." I placed my hand on her belly and held it there; it took only a few moments before I felt what seemed to be a cushioned impact. I gave her an excited smile, "Olivia…the baby just gave her first kick. Four months pregnant and the baby is just starting to kick. Won't be long before your pregnancy will start showing." Olivia smiled warmly and touched my hand where it rested on her belly, "I know this is a bad time, but do you think it's a boy or a girl?" That was the first time during this pregnancy that I was genuinely confused, "What…You don't know yet?" She only shook her head, "It's our first child. I want the gender to be a surprise. So what do you think?" "Olivia, It doesn't matter to me whether it's a boy or a girl. I will love it with all my heart, just like its mother. I do have an idea for a potential name though." Olivia then put two fingers on my mouth, giving a teasing smile. Her expression said it all, _Not yet…Mr. Bishop._

We got out of the van that I bought to make Olivia more comfortable going from place to place, so sitting down wouldn't be as difficult. We then started walking towards the crowd of FBI agents that have gathered around the body. Walter was kneeling by the body and started pulling back the tarp to inspect the face. Although I will freely admit that Walter acted like a child at times, he showed a great enthusiasm for his work. "Caucasian female, mid to late 20s, liver temperature is 98 degrees, this poor girl hasn't been dead that long. Cause of death is exsanguination due to removal of the heart." Once Walter got started he just would not stop. Because of the number of bodies with hearts removed that have been found over the last few days, he essentially brought a mobile laboratory with him. The materials required to conduct the required tests were stored in a series of vans that were provided from Massive Dynamic, one of the lead scientific research firms in the world. Although myself and Olivia have had our negative run-ins with Massive Dynamic and it's CEO Nina Sharpe, Agent Broyles has formed a partnership with the FBI to allow use of her equipment for our more unusual cases. Thankfully I have been able to put the past behind me…not sure about Olivia though.

Walter looked up at me and smoked a childish smile, "Oh Peter, Olivia. Thank goodness you're here. I need to get her inside the lab, would you mind giving me a hand?" I moved towards the feet and wrapped my hands around the ankles, "Alright Walter, on three. One…Two...Three." Thankfully the body wasn't that heavy, so it only took Walter and myself to get it on the gurney. "Thank you son," every time Walter called me 'son' I couldn't help but feel regret. Some time ago I found out that the Walter that I knew wasn't my father at all, but an alternate version of Walter, who we of the Fringe Division have coined Walternate. There was one problem though, this Walter didn't care about me at all. At the time all he cared about was destroying the universe that I call home for years. Until our universes merged, he was our enemy for years. I learned to forgive and forget a long time ago, but regret still plagued my mind some nights. It had only been moments before the gurney that held the body was placed into the mobile lab, but I noticed something on its neck that made me give pause. "Walter, what does that look like to you?," he looked towards where I was looking and noticed what caught my attention. "There's a tattoo on this woman's neck, appears to be a black widow spider. Does this look familiar to you, Peter?" These words sparked a memory, "Yes. This is Antonia Patrelli, also known nick named 'Black Widow'. She was a ruthless killer, going so far as to picking a random person and slitting their throat with her knives. Antonia always carried two, meant to symbolize the fangs of the spider biting it's pray. Hold on…something's not right here."

Agent Broyles was the one who responded to my concern, "What do you mean, Peter? What's wrong?" I just happened to look down and discovered a trail of crimson spots leading farther into the alleyway. "Antonia's husband, Jonathan Patrelli. Since the female black widow is larger and stronger than the male, Jonathan is technically the submissive one. He's always by her side, participating in her acts of murder. His whereabouts are my primary concern, and judging by the blood trail he may have become a victim in this. Wait…Walter? Walter, Where are you going?" Walter can sometimes be such a child, I swear. Can't take my eyes off him for two seconds, "Go follow him, Peter. I'll take care of things here. Olivia, go with him." I nodded my head in thanks to Phillip and with Olivia at my side, followed behind my childish father. We rounded a corner and came upon another body gripping two knives in it's cold hands. It could only be one person, and the tattoo on his neck confirmed the identity of Jonathan Patrelli. Walter rushed over to him already equipped with new surgical gloves, "This one is fresh, cause of death is the same as his wife, exsanguination due to removal of the heart. Strange…what kind of tool could have created such smooth cuts along the ribcage? This makes no sense."

I had to agree with Walter, the specifics behind this particular case just weren't adding up. Why remove the hearts in the first place? Why make them suffer through its removal? Was this some depraved maniac, or something else entirely? Olivia placed a hand on mine, causing me to turn my head out of instinct. She looked deathly pale…almost as if she had been scared to death. "What's wrong, Olivia?" She didn't even look at me before trembling lips began to speak with great sadness, "So many dead, Peter. What kind of monster could do this? There has to be a purpose behind it." _Hehehe, there is a reason behind what I do. You just don't see it yet. _Almost thought I heard a child speaking in my head, forcing me to turn around. Curiosity quickly turned to fear as a tall figure came out of the darkness. I recognized the figure, it was definitely the Plague Doctor. The drawing failed to do it justice, it was as tall and thin as the papers described but some things were not mentioned due to the sightings being in a dark area. It appeared to be a Caucasian male with bits of black hair peeking out from under the hat. When I looked into its eyes…well to say I was shocked would be an understatement. Now I understood why no one mentioned any eye color. The truth was it didn't have any eyes, you could see the pale skin that formed the eyelids but you can't see the orbs themselves. There were black, soulless pits that could bore into your soul…making it look more demonic than human.

Olivia reacted out of reflex and pulled out her gun, firing three times at the heart of the creature only to be greeted with a laugh that allowed you to see sharp, pointy teeth lying underneath its red lips. It finally spoke to us after the holes closed themselves, revealing that its true voice was a combination of a child and an old man speaking as one. The child was the most prominent, "That won't do you any good…Olivia Dunham." "How do you know my name?" she finally managed to say, uncertainty showing in her voice. "Hehehe, I know a great deal about you, Olivia. And both Peter and Walter Bishop, I know so much because it's my business to know. For instance, you Walter served with the Adolf Hitler himself during World War II. Your primary purpose was to develop ways to deal with the enemies of the Aryan nation, from ways to convert the eyes of children to the preferred blue to the creation of chemical weapons for use in war. However, you were actually a spy for the Allies…providing information on the experiments on the side of the enemy. A brave endeavor for any man." Walter couldn't move, _How is it he knows that about my past? This is impossible._ It or 'he' I suppose then turned to face Olivia, "And you Olivia Dunham. I know that during your childhood you despised your father, because of how abusive he was towards you. Every year, you get a card from him…and the doubt of whether you will see him again resurfaces anew. I'm not sure if it will ease your mind, but you don't need to worry about receiving anymore letters from him. The one he most recently sent you was the last, I assure you." Olivia didn't know what to say, I'm not entirely sure that she could have said anything. I could see in her eyes that a childhood fear had finally been put to rest and she seemed at peace, at least for the moment. "And finally, Peter Bishop…I can't reveal what I know about you at the moment. We have little time left." He then started to walk towards Walter with the grace of a cat stalking its prey, until it was within arms-length of being able to hold his frail shoulders.

Walter showed no fear as the two appeared to be sizing each other up, "What do you want?" "I want to provide you with evidence to look over. I will give you a sample of my blood and of flesh, something you can study in great detail if you so choose." And without another word, a gloved hand reached into its jacket…pulling out the ornate silver razor. The words on the side were just as the papers described it, saying fear, death and justice on the handle. The blade itself appeared to be as long as the handle itself, the edge ending just short of the hinge. With sharp blade glowing like a sun, it made two vertical cuts where the wrists should have been, removing not only a piece of the black cotton jacket but also a piece of skin. From what I could see, it appeared that the jacket was actually a part of the creatures skin (very much like a reptiles scales). We all watched in amazement as the remaining fabric closed around the exposed area, obliterating it from existence. Although Olivia and I were totally perplexed, Walter viewed the scene with a look that simply said _utterly remarkable!_ The ornate blade was then closed and put back into the creature's jacket, the other extended towards Walter in an almost expectant manner. What it wanted clicked in Walter's mind instantly, for he quickly pulled a small syringe from the briefcase that went wherever he went. The Plague Doctor gingerly took the syringe, placing the point into where the jugular vein would be and extracted…something. I'm not sure if it was really blood but that's what it must have been, despite the pitch black color. When the cylinder that formed the body of the syringe was filled, the needle was removed and handed back to Walter.

The Doctor nodded at the three of us in approval and began walking away, until Olivia stopped him. "You said there was a purpose behind what you did, right? At the very least tell us what that purpose is before leaving." He turned towards us and smiled "You're right. I did say there was a purpose, I think it's only fair that you know what that is. I wish nothing more or less than to rid the world of a disease that appears to be unique to humanity. This illness corrupts the infected, turning them into monsters among men. This disease is directly responsible for ever murder, rape, and serious injury throughout the course of history. You, Walter Bishop, were infected by this disease. Fortunately for you however, you have been cured for some time. Our time is up my friends, and now I must take my leave." "Wait," I had to ask him one more thing, "what exactly is the meaning behind the white marbles you leave behind?" He then turned to face me fully, "Ah yes. Thank you for reminding me." He then knelt down and placed two marbles on the ground, "As for their purpose…that's something you will have to wait for. Don't worry, we will meet again. And when we do…pray to your god that I don't come for your heart." And without another word, the Plague Doctor walked towards the shadows of the alley, vanishing into a 'murder' of crows. As the black birds flew into the horizon, I heard Walter speaking softly behind me "I know the name of the disease he speaks of. He seeks to cure the world of evil, by devouring the blackest of hearts. I have a feeling that what started as a simple murder investigation has evolved into something beyond our comprehension. I need to get back to the lab." As Walter followed the path back to Agent Broyles and the mobile labs, I thought I saw something out of the corner of my eye. It looked like a thin man with a gray suit and fedora, I knew what it was but something inside my head kept saying that was impossible. Olivia noticed my concern, "Peter…what's wrong?" As fast as I saw the man, the image was gone. "Thought I saw something, don't worry Olivia. It's not good for the baby." As we walked out of the alley holding hands I knew something strange was going on, I guess I'll just have to wait and find out.

_**Completed 3-16-2013 Hope you're enjoying the story so far, I know I am. Rate and Review please. **_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Examining Evidence**

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_A/N: Might be slightly graphic. You have been warned. _

Everyone has a comfort zone, a location or set of occurrences that make them feel the most at home. My father is no exception. Although he could work with ease in one of the mobile labs provided by Massive Dynamic, he felt more at home in his lab in the science building of Harvard. It was equipped with all the latest equipment you could conceive of. We had just received two different samples from the being called The Plague Doctor, and from witnessing this thing offer us both samples I can tell you that it's not human. What kind of man has a suit that is a part of his skin? Or blood as black as pitch? Unless it's something out of a horror novel, nothing. But the question of exactly what he is may forever elude us, the least we can do is see what the samples can reveal. I left Walter to get things set up while I took Olivia into a room within the lab to rest. On the way the four legged resident of the lab, a cow affectionately named Gene, gave an almost sympathetic _Moooo_. Olivia must have been seen my face because she turned my face to look into her eyes, "She knows that you're worried about me, Peter. Strange how animals seem to understand human emotions."

Walter just had to jump in at that last remark, "As a matter of fact, animals have been observed to form an empathetic connection with people within a close proximity. Belly and I performed an experiment in which a female horse and a human male suffering depression were placed in a closed space. Both subjects had plenty of room to move and the man was encouraged to tend to the horse's needs. As the poor man brushed her body and mane, equipment that we used to pick up the brainwaves of both subjects had changed. The man's brainwaves which had begun with the obvious signs of depression had begun to revert to normal. The horse on the other hand showed a slight shift from normal to a depressed state, but changed back to normal seconds later. The horse understood what the man was feeling and showed it through silent affection." Olivia chuckled a little before groaning in discomfort, "That's amazing, Walter. When you can measure the affectionate brainwaves of a baby that is 4 months along, let me know." I placed a hand on Olivia's belly, "Come on kiddo, stop making your mommy uncomfortable." She had to be carried the rest of the way and placed gently on a couch inside the room, "There you go. Anything I can do for you?" "I'm fine, Peter. Go help Walter," I could tell Olivia was trying to put on a brave face despite everything going on right now. I wish that I could do more to help her, to make things less uncomfortable. "Stop worrying so much, Peter. It gives you wrinkles." I managed to force a chuckle, kissed Olivia on the head and walked back to the lab closing the door behind me ever so gently.

Walter had cut a piece of the 'skin' sample and placed it under the microscope, "This is truly astounding. Despite having the appearance and texture of cotton, it has cell structure. With nuclei even going through mitosis despite being detached from the source of life." I had to take a look, and I could hardly believe it myself. There was nothing in nature that followed the criteria for this sample, business as usual in the Fringe Division. I could literally feel Walter's eyes on me so I had to respond, "What is it Walter?" He knew I was annoyed but he had no anger in his expression, only concern. "I know you're worried about Olivia and your child. I felt the same way about your mother when you were growing inside her. Worried day after day, knowing I really couldn't do anything to ease her pains. All I could do was try to hide in my work, but even then my concern dominated my thoughts. Don't worry son, Olivia is a strong woman. You should be proud to have a child with her. You two are giving me a grandchild, something I never thought possible. I'm so proud of you, son." He placed a hand on my shoulder and handed me the syringe that contained the black blood sample, "Now I need you to focus. Analyze this sample for me." Leave it to Walter to shift from family matters to work in a split second. I begrudgingly took the syringe, placed a drop of the blood on a glass sheet.

As I viewed the sample through the microscope I heard a subdued cry of pain, making me turn around quickly to see what was going on. Walter was cradling his arm, the blade of a scalpel piercing the palm and coming out the back of the hand. "Walter what happened?" "I don't know. Must not have been paying attention," even though Walter annoyed me at times he was still my father. Lately though, Walter had been slightly distracted. I had to pull the scalpel out gently or the pain would be unbearable, but as the blade left Walter's palm the vial of black blood started to glow with a dim light. "Walter, the material in the vial seems to be reacting to your pain. I wonder…" Grabbing the syringe I placed a small amount on my fingertip despite the potential danger, it shifted from cool to warm several times before I applied it to the edges of Walter's wound. Instantly the blood pouring from the hole in Walter's hand receded, flowing back into it. The skin then began to reform, resulting in the wound completely disappearing. Not even a scar remained, Walter was completely speechless, "What remarkable regenerative qualities, and from just a small amount. I wonder what else this substance can do?"

An idea already forming in my mind, I grabbed a piece of 8 x 11 inch paper. Small drop of the blood on my finger as usual, I drew a somewhat crude circle about the size of a softball. When the circle was complete the area inside faded completely into black, leaving what appeared to be a cartoon black hole. Despite my uncertainty I had a childish idea of how this little black hole would work and as such I placed my hand into the center of the black circle. My hand made contact and went straight through the sheet of paper, much like how I expected. Then I decided to place it on the floor to see exactly what would happen, luckily Walter brought over a tennis ball to see if there might have been someone or something on the other side. I held the ball over the hole and with an approving nod from Walter I dropped the ball into the hole, it vanished into the blackness instantly. Walter and I looked at each other with a degree of uncertainty of what would happen next, the ball came out of the hole a few moments later at the speed one would expect from the tennis ball being thrown straight up. Walter was the one who caught the ball and was clearly astonished, as was I. He then dropped the ball back into the hole, and seconds later then it came back out. We played a game of catch with whatever might have been on the other side for at least three minutes, until a hand picked up the piece of paper from the ground and tore the circle in half. This broke the circle and as such ended the effect of the black substance, Olivia holding the two halves of paper in either hand. Walter had a childish look of disappointment and said as such, "Why did you do that, Olivia? We were conducting a scientific experiment." Even though I knew what she would say I let the words pour out of her mouth, "Didn't anyone tell you not to play with strangers? You two have no idea what is on the other end of that gateway, it may have been benign for now but who knows what the future consequences of your little 'game' may have wrought. I'm sorry, but I'm not willing to take the chance of the thing on the other end of the portal being dangerous."

I knew Olivia was right, whatever is on the other side of that hole might be dangerous and I didn't feel like putting Olivia or my unborn child in danger. Olivia pulled her phone out from a pocket inside the dress jacket that she wore every day since the day I met her, "We have a problem. That was Agent Broyles; an anonymous tip came in that the Plague Doctor has struck a few miles west of our location. Since we are the only ones in the vicinity, he wants us to check it out." I wasn't sure about the legitimacy of this 'anonymous tipper' and I even told Olivia such, "I know it seems sketchy but that's all the information we have. If it is a trap then we best go armed." Olivia grabbed the holster that carried her 9 millimeter Berretta Pistol and strapped it to her belt while I grabbed a small revolver. Walter had his suitcase that contained all equipment required for gathering evidence. "Peter, what if it is a trap. What if someone is simply trying to lure us out?" I understood the uncertainty felt by Walter and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Well if you're right, then we'll face this head on." As the three of us started to leave the lab to try and find out what was going on I heard Walter grumble one final sentence, "I'm going to need some strawberry licorice after this."

_**Completed 3-23-2013 Wow, Interesting huh? I know you're probably not sure about what the Plague Doctor is, but those questions will be answered next chapter. Rate and review please **_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: The truth revealed**

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_A/N: This is the final chapter of the story, hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I had making it. Might be a little graphic._

As we approached the alleyway that I knew would be the crime scene, I couldn't help but feel uncertain of what could happen. What if this _was_ a set up? If this was true, then the question is who was waiting for us? I had no time to think any longer for we had arrived at the crime scene a few seconds later. Walter exited the vehicle with suitcase in hand, with Olivia and I close behind. The body appeared very much like the last two victims we examined earlier that day, but for some reason the face was covered with a cloth. Walter bent down and despite knowing the poor soul was dead, he checked for a pulse on the side of the neck. I knew Walter would find no pulse, but something about the whole situation didn't feel right. "I don't think we should be here, something seems to be very wrong here." Walter looked closely at the ribs of the victim, trying to determine if it was truly the same individual we recently made contact with. "No. This is not the work of the Plague Doctor, the cuts on the ribcage are all wrong. Where the ribcage on the previous victims were smooth and expertly made, these cuts are jagged and sloppy. This was the work of an amateur." Walter then reached over and pulled back the cloth that covered the body's face, everyone jumped back in horror. The body…I kid you not had absolutely no face to speak of. There were no eyes, mouth or nose; just a blank canvas.

Walter gently touched the fingers of the faceless body, and green light surrounded the contact area. He then traced his fingers along the arm and when the shoulders were reached, his hand fell through the body like there was nothing there. Walter was shocked, "I'll be damned. The body beyond the arm is a hologram, a very convincing one at that. Who would go to so much trouble to lure us here?" His question was answered when two men in grey suits and fedoras appeared in front of us, and judging by their soulless expressions and the curious cocking of the heads they had to be Observers. A mysterious race of what I could best describe as technologically advanced humans from another time, who have been observing the human race from various points in history. They specifically chose to observe us during moments of great achievement it seemed, but they never acted towards their own agenda. That was of course until now, with the two observers standing in front of us. The one on the left looked at Olivia, "You have a child." The observer in the right looked at me, "Fathered by someone who should not even exist." They then spoke in unison, "but that can be easily rectified. You must be eliminated."

Olivia and I pulled out our guns and started firing at the observers, but they snatched every round out of the air and dropped them onto the ground. A little advantage of the tech inside their heads, another being the ability to move between realities at will. Looked much like teleportation, and of course there was superhuman strength. Similar to those experienced by the human body during the fight or flight response. Olivia was hurled against a wall, her assailant reaching for her belly with the intent of pulling my unborn child out by force. I fought with everything I had but I was too weak, poor Walter was huddled against a wall in fear. That didn't matter to me though, what mattered was that he was safe from harm. As I felt my life fading away I noticed a crow standing on a wire above my head, watching intently. I wasn't sure who was listening but I gave a silent plea, "Save her, save my child. Please." Out of nowhere a shadow came around a corner and seemed to knock the observers to the ground. I got up wearily and ran towards Olivia, while the Observers swung madly at the shadow that toyed with them because they couldn't touch it. Then the shadow made one final movement by the two Observers, and a red line appeared on their throats. Red blood trickled out from the gashes on their necks, and they fell to the ground dead. The shadow took the form of the all too familiar Plague Doctor with straight razor in hand that seemed not to have a drop of blood on it despite its recent use.

I turned my head to look into Olivia's eyes, which were wide in shock. Even though I knew both her and my child were okay, I still placed my hand on her belly in the hopes of feeling something. Thankfully I received a soft impact against my hand, a reassuring kick that purged the fear out of my mind. Olivia embraced me, clearly full of relief and certainty that this event was over. As I was holding Olivia I noticed Walter having a quiet conversation with the Plague Doctor. I assumed that it was a show of gratitude for protecting the people he loved, in which the Doctor nodded and walked over to us. It extended a hand towards us, apparently an offer to bring us back to our feet. Cautiously I accepted, and Olivia used me for support to get back to her feet. The Plague Doctor spoke to me in the same united voice from before but this time the ashen male held primacy, "I heard your call, Peter Bishop. You were willing to give your life to protect your unborn child and the woman you loved. That was noble of you, something I value highly among the human race despite the potential for evil within them all." I nodded my head in approval and though Olivia still held me tightly, I felt her grip loosen and relax. She then looked at the Plague Doctor, "Thank you. If you hadn't shown up, we might not be alive."

He smiled a toothy smile and while at first I was unnerved, I saw that it was a warm and comforting smile, "You should be thanking Peter, Olivia Dunham. He called out to me for help, because a part of him feared that you would die. I know how much he loves you and how much you love him. I saw you were in danger and came to your aid." Walter looked directly into the black pits that formed his eyes, "What are your plans for the dead Observers? Aren't you going to take their hearts?" The Plague Doctor continued to smile and turned towards the bodies behind him, "No. The technology that enhances their bodies has corrupted their hearts. They are not for me to deal with at this point. I know someone who is more qualified to study them." He took the point of the ornate straight razor and pricked his finger with it, then he slowly drew a crude circle around the bodies of the Observers. When the circle was complete the lifeless forms sunk into the darkness, as if they never existed in the first place. Walter gaped at the spot where the circle was, "Where did you send them?" The Plague Doctor gave an understanding smile and then revealed the truth to us.

"Before I answer that, let me answer another question. You once asked me 'what are you?' Well…that's a hard one to answer. I suppose you could call me a small piece of a puzzle, the kind where you are certain all the pieces are in place but there is one so called extra piece that doesn't appear to go anywhere. Without that piece though, the puzzle is not complete and with a wrong move the entire thing will fall apart. I am that final piece, the living embodiment of the darkness that resides within the hearts of men. That is why I need to devour the hearts of the evil, to feed on the darkness within truly evil to live. I won't stop, I can't stop not until I find my other half. He is in a similar business as I am, at least as far as punishing the wicked. The only difference is he also rewards the innocent, while the only reward the innocent get from me is their lives. The bodies of the Observers have been sent to him, mostly so he can study their weaknesses. You know why, don't you Dr. Bishop?"

Walter looked at him with a look of certainty, "Yes, I do. The observer we know as September told me there will be an invasion force entering our world three years from now." Now Walter never mentioned this to us before so I wasn't sure how true this statement was, "How long have you known about this, Walter?" He had a saddened look on his face, trying desperately to fight back tears. "I have known about the impending invasion for the last four months, son. Ever since Olivia told you she was pregnant I have known. I didn't tell you because I didn't want to put any unnecessary strain on you or Olivia, such stress would be harmful to the child. I'm sorry Peter. I am truly sorry." Walter then started crying a little, I couldn't help but not feel angry with him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay Walter. Now we know and we have the time to prepare." The Plague Doctor cleared his throat to draw attention for a moment, "Don't be so hasty, Mr. Bishop. The invasion force will not be arriving for several years, but that doesn't mean that small bands won't be coming to attack at any time. In fact, the next time they will threaten you will be five months down the road. Your child will be due at that time so they will believe you to be vulnerable and defenseless. There is however, someone who might be able to protect you and the child." He motioned us to extend our hands, pricked his finger with the tip of the straight razor and drew a mark on the backs of our hands. It had the look of a pentagram with a Celtic cross inside, an odd combination of two symbols that normally would not be drawn together. After a few moments the mark disappeared, almost being absorbed into our skin.

The Plague Doctor nodded in approval, "Now when the time is right, you will be guided to my other half. He will not be happy about your sudden visit, but he will help you. I must leave, for he will surely have noticed my presence by now." He then turned around, but I stopped him for a moment. "Wait. Will we see you again?" The Plague Doctor gave an almost sorrowful look, "If you don't see me, don't despair for I will be whole again. All will be right with the world regardless of my absence. Two souls will become one and the evil will bow before us." He then walked towards me, gently placing a gloved hand on my shoulder. "Peter Bishop, for a man who has been through so much look at where you are now. You began as the son of another world, taken from there to be cured by a man who resembled your father to be cured of a disease. Through that act, events started to unravel that now as a man you investigate. You became a savior of the innocent, you united two universes to protect those you love. But then you vanished from existence, forces beyond our comprehension tried to erase you from this timeline. But the love that the many had for you despite their loss of memory brought you back, the love you had rekindled. And now you are so close to having a child of your own, despite threats that lurk in every shadow. Don't let these threats change who you are, Peter. Know that from this day forward as long as you see crows around you, I will be watching. Ensuring no threat comes to claim your child. And as for my other half, when we are reunited and the invasion comes he will be a great ally to you. And now as Jacob Marley said to Ebenezer Scrooge, 'Look to see me no more.'"

This time it was Olivia who stopped him from leaving, "What are those white marbles for? Why are you leaving them at every crime scene?" "Why Miss Dunham, aren't you the curious one. But I did promise to tell you about them, those marbles are the purified essence of those evil souls. When the End of Days is near, these souls will be reborn as either the warriors of heaven or hell. They will fight alongside their respective army, sharing the fate of the victors and defeated. Farewell." And with that he vanished into the shadows, the next few hours I have no memory of.

All I remember is waking up in a hospital bed, with the glowing face of Olivia Dunham looking down on me. Her voice was incredibly soothing as she spoke, "Good morning, my hero." I tried to sit up but unfortunately every muscle in my body refused to cooperate, so I laid back down. "What do you mean, morning? How long have I been asleep?" She came over and put a hand on my forehead, "You have been asleep since The Plague Doctor left, those Observers really did a number on you. Thank you for calling for him, if you hadn't then all of us would likely be dead. I owe you my life, and so does our daughter." Now when I heard the word _daughter_ I became fully alert, "We're having a girl? How do you know that?" Olivia showed me a photograph, which I instantly recognized as coming from a sonogram. There was a still image of our child in a fetal position and it was the most beautiful thing I ever saw. We looked at the picture for who knows how long, finally I broke the silence. "She looks just like her mother, beautiful." "I know. The doctors wanted to have a look at me before I visited you, better safe than sorry I suppose. I then was debriefed by Broyles, told him about the ambush of the Observers. Overall he is pleased that none of us were harmed, and after seeing the sonogram photo I was ordered to take time off when I needed to." I could only breathe a sigh of relief, Broyles had finally ordered maternity leave. But I know Olivia, she will work until she can't anymore. And who knows how long it will actually be before then, regardless I will provide as much support as she needs.

"You said earlier you had an idea for a name, what is it?" I could only smile at her, for now she really wanted to know. I had to oblige, "What about Henrietta? Etta for short." When I mentioned the name Olivia gave a long kiss to my lips, when she pulled away the look on her face said it all. "Etta it is, has a nice ring to it. Henrietta Bishop-Dunham, strong willed like her mother and smart as her father." Walter's face peered around a corner, as if he was expecting a place in my daughter's description. "And as imaginative as her grandfather, how does that sound Walter?" He smiled the typical childish smile that I have come to expect, and slowly he entered the room. "I can't believe it. I'm going to have a granddaughter, oh glorious day!" Walter then started to waltz around the room, arms cradled as if he was holding a little baby. I turned from Walter to Olivia, who was yawning tiredly. _Geez, you must have been awake all night._ So I took her hand and she climbed into the bed with me, but since I couldn't really move my arms she had to assist me. Walter stopped after a smooth twirling motion, "Oh. Let me leave you two alone." Quietly he walked out of the room, but before his head disappeared from the doorway his lips said wordlessly, "Sleep well you two." Nodding with approval, I turned my head towards the window and imagined our future. If what the Plague Doctor said was right, then the Observers would come after us again when our child was due. On that day I hoped against hope that his "friend" would be able to help us, if not I feared the worst. It didn't matter, for I had faith that everything would be fine. For even though our future was uncertain, at least we had this moment of something that may forever elude us. True peace.

**The End**

_**Completed 3-30-2013, Updated 4-5-2013 **_

_**Original ending didn't seem to fit for a Fringe story, so I fixed it. Rate and review please. If you saw the old ending, tell me if you liked this one better. Thanks for your support everyone. **_

_**I don't own any of the Fringe story or characters.**_


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